Apparently there's some meme that 12 Republicans were ready to vote for the bailout package but Democrats' "bedside manner" or something put them off. (UPDATE: Oh Christ, this?) Anyway, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank took a question about this at the Bailout Fail press conference just now and tranched it a new one. Everyone in the room laughed because the room is filled with politicians and journalists and seriously what do they give a shit about the economy, Barney Frank just won himself a 14th term and we will no doubt be seeing more of him. (Gawker day editor Alex Pareene's response: a more succinct "Barney Frank <3!") Swoon, on so many levels! Dow down 603 at close.*

*Uh, or 777.68? Was the stampede out of thirty freaking equities so heavy that it took the computers an extra 15 minutes to calculate the close? I do not know.